Cry
by IndieWrites
Summary: She never thought she would see this day. The day Naruto's promise to Sasuke would be fulfilled. Now left with the aftermath, how will things ever be the same? Slightly implied yaoi. Gift Fict for IWUSkittles. Character death, angst. Set in CU.
1. Promises

**Authors Notes: **This is a gift two shot fict for the darling Amanda(IWUSkittles). It is a Naru/Sasu fict, but not yaoi, and told through Sakura's eyes. And yes... there is character death, sorry. I have had this idea plaguing me for days now, and with the help of the songs "Cry" by Kelly Clarkson and "Guren" from Naruto Shippuden's second OST, it came to life for me. I would honest love to see artwork done for this, but I have not the talent. Anyway, I do hope you enjoy it somewhat. Part two will be up later tonight. By the way, this is my first attempt at a Naruto fict, so I apologize for an OCC-ness. I tried my best to keep them in character, but matured a bit.

**Disclaimer: *looks at Sakura's fist and shakes head* Nope.. she says I don't own them. and I think I'll believe her. Naruto and his world belongs to the immortal Masashi Kishimoto. I don't own the song "Cry" either. It belongs to Jason Halbert and Kelly Clarkson.**

* * *

**-1- Promises**

_Is it over yet?_

_Can I open my eyes?_

_Is this as hard as it gets?_

_Is this what it feels like to really _

_Cry?_

She had heard the whispers floating around town all lat week. The rumors of her friend's obsession with a certain missing-nin were the talk of anyone who would listen. As was the outcome of his continued absence. Well aware that every time she passed by someone in the streets, they would shut up and look the other way, she tried her best to not seem affected.

Tried. And to the unobserving eye, one who didn't know the pink haired medical-nin, they would assume she was somewhat succeeding. Even she, in the forefront of her mind, believed it was working. And yet, given some time, and space alone, she could feel her mask begin to crack. It was only a matter of time before it shattered completely, leaving her bleeding heart exposed for all to see.

That day had not yet come. So she pressed on, with her empty smile and her shuttered eyes. Work was hard, but not as hard as it could be. She used to enjoy helping others come back to health. She was good at it, efficient when needed, kind and gentle always. Not that it mattered much to these two.

Nothing mattered to them anymore. But that reality had yet to sink into her muddled mind. Staring down at the intertwined bodies of the two boys, she almost felt a smile tug at her lips. They looked so peaceful, so perfect.

Except for the destruction that surrounded them. The entire area looked leveled, trees snapped like toothpicks in the hands of a giant. Well, those still standing. Some had been ripped completely clean from the earth, their roots a tangled mess, brutally slaughtered victims of the fight that had raged here a short time before. Her jade eyes scanned the area, widening in disbelief as they fell upon the sheer rock cliff off to the side. Or what was left of it. It had stood dominating the horizon only days before, now looked as intimidating as a sand castle in front of a tsunami. Deep scars riddled the ground, ripping the dirt and grass from the ground.

She had seen this type of destruction before, but never to this extent. This… she shook her head suddenly. This was sickening. As if her body agreed with her mental sentiment, she stomach lurched into her throat, causing her to double over for a moment, her arms wrapped tightly around her waist as she struggled to keep her meager lunch from painting the ground below her. Sweat broke out upon her brow, and her fist pressed harshly to her trembling lips. She sucked in deep breath after deep breath, trying to keep from choking on the air.

A firm but gentle hand pressed onto her back and she lifted her head to see the concern swimming in the wide eye of her team captain. His uncovered Sharigan was closed, with a deep gash above it, forming a strange "T" as it met with his previous vertical scar. Drying blood created browning trails down the side of his face. She could tell just by looking at it, it was a few hours old, and not too serious. Not like the gash ripping his clothes and skin from his left shoulder to his elbow. That was still oozing red blood.

She straightened, offering her sensei a half smile, while gingerly touching his wound. Her mind clicking back into the medical mode, she felt his muscles twitch at her touch. He would never admit to the pain, but she knew it was acute. Reaching into her pack, she grabbed a roll of bandages and gauze.

Kakashi reached up, ripping the remaining tatters of his sleeve from his shirt, allowing her more access to his injury. Neither said a word as she began to dress his wound. Moments passed, the silence pressing around them, not uncomfortable, but heavy. Sakura finished quickly, dropping the leftovers back into her pack. Kakashi nodded his thanks, then shifted his gaze to the two young men laying a few feet from their position.

"I got here as soon as I could," her voice sounded soft, and guilty. Her unspoken words were clear. _'But not soon enough to stop them.'_ She looked around, her eyes lighting once again on the destruction around them. Kakashi nodded, a frown marring his face.

"The others?" he asked. She looked back over her shoulder, seeing the rest of her party wandering towards them, their faces in shock. And that was just from seeing the devastated area. They had yet to see the cause of it all. Her eyes followed them as they got closer, thinking about events leading up to all of this.

_~2 Day Earlier ~_

_Sakura untied her pink hair, sliding the hair band over her wrist and wiped her hand across her forehead. She let out a breath and smiled down at her patient. The shin obi smiled back, although his was laced with pain from his twisted ankle. _

"_Take two of these with dinner. It will help with the pain," she said, handing his a small packet of pills. "The swelling will decrease, but you'll need to stay off of it for a few days." The man nodded in understanding and sat back for a moment on the bed. Satisfied her patient would be fine until help arrived to escort him home, she tossed one more bright smile over her shoulder and left the room._

_Making her way down the hall, Sakura realized just how late it really was. The sun was dipping down into the hills, painting the walls of the hospital a vibrant red. It was a lovely color, although it reminded her of two very different sets of eyes. She shivered slightly, her mind suddenly flung back into memories she would rather not relive. She stood there for a moment, her eyes on the horizon, the evenings quietness floating around her. With a sigh and a shake of her head, she walked on, stopping to gather her stuff and left the tall hospital building. _

_The summer breezes swirled around her as soon as she stepped out into the street, kicking up light dust and whipping her hair into her face briefly. She pulled her fingers through her hair, stopping when she heard her name called from behind her. Turning, she saw Rock Lee coming towards her, his hand raised in greeting. She smiled, waiting for him to catch up to her. He returned it, but with less exuberance than he usually possessed. _

"_Sakura, my lovely friend, how are you on this bright summers night?" _

_She laughed, shrugging. "A bit tired. My shift just ended," she told him. He just nodded, without his usual 'youthful' comment. Sakura frowned, noticing his eyes dart around as if searching for something. Her senses tingling, she placed a hesitant hand on his arm. He looked back to her, his bushy brows drawn down concern. Seeing his expression, she began to feel her heartbeat pick up. Something was off._

"_What's going on, Lee?" she asked, her tone demanding an immediate answer. He sighed. _

"_Lady Tsunade is waiting for you." This wasn't unusual, as the Hokage was her mentor after all. But the somber, almost sad look to Lee's face led her to believe this would not be a social call. With a nod, she followed him. The short walk was silent, furthering the sickening feeling Sakura had begun to feel in the pit of her stomach. Lee was almost never silent, reminding her of another energetic friend, this one blonde. Thinking of Naruto only increased her trepidation. He had been gone for over two months now, having gotten a lead on the whereabouts of their ex-team mate Sasuke Uchiha. _

_She pinched the bridge of her nose suddenly, the sting of a slight headache starting to show. She always got one when she thought of her two most important people. Sasuke had been gone for almost 6 years now. At first, Sakura was inconsolable, feeling the loss of her first crush. Somehow, during that ordeal, Naruto swallowed his own sorrow and promised her he would bring their best friend back. It became an obsession with him, driving him to train long and hard with Jiraiya. Reaching for new heights in his power, he too left the village behind for 2 years, pushing himself harder than most would ever think of doing. _

_And when he came back… Sakura paused in her thoughts. He had changed, although she was lacks to admit it at first. There was a new hard set to his face, the determination in his eyes darkening the bright blue orbs just a bit. She was impressed. During that first mission to save Gaara, she saw just how far he had gone to train. In those reddened eyes, she saw the most beautiful sights- determined loyalty and love. No matter what, Naruto's friends would always come first. _

_Sasuke, no matter what he had done, or would do, was still the fox's friend, and as such, Naruto refused to give up hope that he could be rescued from himself. Sakura believed that too, perhaps because of Naruto. She couldn't be sure. She found something in Naruto that had been lacking in any of her other friends. He hoped with all his heart, never thinking for once that he would fail. He would bring Sasuke back to her, one way or another. He had promised, and she knew he held his promises to be set in stone. Once he set out on a path, he was hard pressed to leave it. _

_Something changed, though, during their last encounter with the missing -nin. It had been a fluke for them to catch up with Sasuke, but Naruto planned on using it to his advantage. As always, the two fought, hard and brutally. And it was during that fight that Naruto changed. So much so that Sakura almost wept at the sight of him. His eyes lost a bit of their brightness. He had nodded quickly to his best friend, a brief exchange meant for only them. _

_Then… then he made that promise. "I understand now, Sasuke. I know, nothing I say will change your mind. You're dead set on this stupid path. You think I'm an idiot, I get it. I'm not going to stop you. There's no point really." He paused, rubbing the back of his neck in true Naruto fashion with a small smile. _

_Sasuke dropped his hand down to his side, his onyx eyes searching his friend's blue ones. Sakura watched, listening with bated breath. "No, there's not." His voice rolled across the silence, as he shrugged his shoulders in agreement. Naruto nodded quickly, a sharpness hardening his gaze. _

"_Then there is only one thing left to do. I made a promise to me and Sakura when you left that I'd bring your sorry ass back. I guess that's one I'll have to break." His gaze sought hers for a moment, and then turned back to his friend. "We're destined to do this, you and I. You know that too. And there's only one way it will end." _

_Sakura's heart pounded loudly in her ears and she wanted to cry out, tell him to stop what he was going to say. But she found herself speechless, helpless to halt his next words._

"_We will fight one last time, Sasuke. And we will die, together. I promise you this. When next we meet, that's it. No more damn dodging. We'll be done, for good. Your life has always been mine, like you have mine" _

_Sasuke said nothing for a moment, and the pink haired girl hoped he would deny the promise. Tell the dobe he was being an idiot. She also wanted him to stop this foolishness and come home. Looking from one to the other, she knew that wasn't going to happen, none of it. Instead, the black haired nin just nodded. _

"_So be it." With one final nod to each other, the two best friends parted ways, carrying with them the promise of death. For Sakura, the journey home was like a trek to the executioners'. She wasn't sure whom she was angrier with, Sasuke for being stubborn, or Naruto for being even more so. She fought back tears, and refused to speak to the blond fox for the rest of the journey. For once, Naruto didn't seem to mind the silence. _

_Just before they reached the gates of Konoha, he stopped and turned to her, his eyes determined. She stopped as well, unsure what he was doing, but willing to let him do it. Silently, he pulled her into his chest, hugging her for all he was worth. "I'm sorry," he whispered into her hair. She wasn't sure what he was sorry for, breaking his promise to her, or the one he had just made to Sasuke. _

"_Idiot," she murmured into his chest, allowing her tears to finally come. She sobbed quietly into his shirt while he held her. _

"_I won't seek him out, okay? Not unless he gives me reason to." She lifted her head to look up at him. His gaze was focused back down the path they had just traveled. She knew he wouldn't need to. The two of them just gravitated towards each other somehow. It had been that way from the beginning. She was sure, sooner or later, they would find each other once again. She trembled at the thought. _

_Slowly, her sobs stopped and she pulled back from him, a worried look on her face. He looked down, a sheepish grin on his face. She smiled softly in return and then waved her hand as they went separate ways. _

_He kept his word for two years. He neither mentioned his promise nor actively sought the Uchiha. Sakura half hoped she was wrong after all, that maybe the two young men had moved on in their respective roles in life. Naruto continued his training, perfecting his techniques and finally achieving the ranks of the ANBU. Sure, it wasn't Hokage, but hey, it was a step up in the right direction. She had never been so proud to see him don his white fox mask for the first time. _

_He seemed happy. But he wasn't, she could tell. His eyes had lost some of their glow, and often she found him lost in thought. Seemed silly, Naruto lost in thought. But that grim set to his mouth, and the far off look in his eyes showed her more of him than most knew. _

_It was late one night, two months ago, when his heavy knocking rattled through her peaceful evening. It had become a normal occurrence for him to stop by after a mission. She guessed it was his way of winding down. They never discussed what he did. She had been with him a few times as a medical-nin, and knew the horrors he had seen, and in some cases, did. She honestly didn't want a play by play. So they'd talk about her work instead, finding it a safer subject. _

_This night was different. She knew the moment she opened the door and saw him standing there, looking like he was about to fall asleep on his feet. Holding the door open, she tugged him inside and led him to her couch. He sat with a sigh, stretching his long legs out in front of him and leaning his head on the back of the couch. She busied herself with making tea for them, waiting until they both had a cup in hand to sit down beside him. At first, he said nothing. That in itself made her worry. Slowly, he took a sip and smiled, the action looking strained. _

"_Thanks, Sakura," he said. She nodded. _

"_You look beat," she observed. He laughed lightly. _

"_Yeah, well we didn't stop during the last day." He stopped, his cheeks flushing suddenly. He seemed unsure of his next words, his eyes flickering to hers and then darting away. "I'm leaving at first light tomorrow." _

_She frowned, leaving deep grooves in her forehead. "What? Why? You just got back. Surely Lady Tsunade would let you have a few days to rest before sending you out on another mission." _

_He shook his head, reaching a hand out to smooth the wrinkles on her forehead. His hand slipped into her hair briefly before falling to his lap. "It's not a mission, Sakura. It's Sasuke. They've found him. He's heading here, and I'm sure you know he's not coming to repent, or whatever." Without thinking, she reached her hand out, lacing their fingers and pulling his into her lap. _

"_He might be," she whispered hopefully, although she didn't believe her words either. They both knew why he was coming, and what that meant for them. Naruto smiled sadly, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. _

"_It's time we finished this, him and me. I'm going to head him off before he can get here." _

_Sakura bit her lip to keep it from trembling, struck by the anguish in his eyes. "Are you going alone?" she asked. _

"_No, Sai and Kakashi are coming too. Old Granny suggested more, for back up. But I know they'll just slow us down. Besides, this is a Team 7 matter, really." _

"_Then let me come with you," she replied, her voice beginning to sound panicked. Naruto held out his hand to stop her suggestion, his eyes hard._

"_No, not a chance Sakura. I don't want you near this." _

_She shot to her feet, dropping his hand in the process, a hurt expression marring her pretty features. The years had been kind to her, maturing her into a quiet beauty. Naruto admired her fiery temper, and her kind heart even more, though. "You just said this was a Team 7 thing. I was and still am part of that team. Sai wasn't. I should be there instead," she shouted. _

"_No," Naruto repeated firmly. _

_Sakura wanted to scream in frustration. "Look, I'm not some weak little girl, you know. I can hold my own, as you have seen a million times. This has always been our thing, Naruto. He's our friend. I need to be with you both."_

_Naruto climbed to his feet, stepping closer to her, but not touching her just yet. "No."_

_Sakura really did scream this time, a short high sound that hurt his ears. "Why not?!" She was almost to the point of begging, regardless of how immature and undignified that would be._

"_Sakura, stop." He leveled his eyes on her, pinning her with his intense stare. "Do you really want to watch us die that badly?" His question brought her tantrum to a violent halt. And there it was again, that promise he had made, flung squarely into her face. She took a step back as if he had visibly struck her. Her fisted hand rose to her lips, and her vision began to swim with tears. Stepping up to her, Naruto wrapped his friend into a tight embrace. She hugged him to her, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. She understood now, his firm stance. _

_No, she didn't want to be there to see that. Never. She didn't even try to fool herself into thinking she could stop it somehow, or that she would be of help, patching them up. She wasn't delusional in her thinking anymore. She knew when he left, it would be the last time he would walk through those gates. With that final thought blazing hotly through her mind, she crumbled into his arms, crying harder than she had in years. He stayed with her that night, holding her as she slept. And when she awoke in the early morning hours, he was gone. _

_"Sakura? Sakura?" a questioning voice broke into her thoughts, dispelling her memories. She turned her face to the source, her eyes focusing on Lee, his face etched with concern._

_"Sorry, what did you say?"_

_Lee frowned a moment, then looked away. "We're here. The lovely Hokage is awaiting us." She nodded as he pushed open the door and waited for her to enter. Following behind her, he quietly closed the door, the short snapping sound making her jump slightly. Looking around inside, she was surprised to see several of her friends already seated in various places. TenTen and Neji sat with Kiba on the couch, while Shino and Shikamaru stood beside the window, awake for once. Guy and Yamato stood at the corner of Tsunade's desk, turning as Lee and Sakura entered._

_The grim expressions on each face in the room caused Sakura's heart to clutch in her chest, and she fought against the urge to run. Tsunade's head shot up, and she nodded to the newcomers. "Good, you're all here. It will make this a bit easier." She took a deep breath, her shoulders drooping slightly as if a heavy weight was settled upon them. "We've received word from Kakashi that his team has located Uchiha Sasuke and are currently trying to detain him. They have requested backup. I know this seems like over kill, but we can't be sure if he has backup as well. So I am dispatching you all in two teams. Kiba, Shikamaru, Shino and Sakura will head out with Yamato. Guy's team will remain unchanged. You leave as soon as you're packed. They are about a day and a half from here."_

_The team captains nodded, waiting for the rest of their team to follow suit. Sakura paused, looking at the strained expression on her mentors face. "There's more, isn't there?" she asked. "Naruto…" Tsunade's head snapped up._

_"You need to be prepared for what you might see, Sakura. Kakashi indicated that both Naruto and Saske had pushed beyond their usual limits. Honestly, I'm not entirely sure what you will be walking into. So be careful."_

_Sakura nodded, reading between the lines. "I will, I promise. I'll bring him back to you." Her mentor nodded in return, knowing what she couldn't say._

_"Go, and Godspeed."_

Mentally, she cursed whatever it was that possessed people to make promises. It never led to something good. Steeling herself, she picked her way through the debris to the two bodies lying in the middle of a grassy knoll, one of the few left with actual grass on it. Her heart slammed to a stop as she knelt before her friends. Her knees buckled and she tumbled down until she sat on her hands and knees, her breath catching rapidly in her throat. She closed her eyes, unwilling to look at the scene before her. If she didn't see it, maybe it wouldn't be real.

Yes, that was it. It was all a bad dream. She'd wake up any minute to the loud knocking of Naruto, proclaiming he was exhausted and flopping onto her couch. She's smile and yell at him for putting his feet up on the couch and he'd just smirk at her, flinging a pillow in her direction. All she had to do was open her eyes, and she'd be back in her house. She was sure of it.

She opened her eyes, and screamed. Screamed until Kakashi knelt next to her, his hand on her back once again, offering silent strength. And then those screams turn into gasp, as her tears streamed hotly down her face, dripping onto the intertwined hands of her best friends.

They were beautiful, laying there together. The fox's body lay underneath the Uchiha's, Sasuke's dark head resting over Naruto's heart, his hair a shocking contrast to the tanned skin he used as a pillow. Naruto's clothes were ripped, the skin beneath looking like a wild animal had gotten a hold of him. She figured that was probably closer to the truth. She could see the deep red of his life force stain Sasuke's clothes, soaking into the ground beneath them. Upon a closer look, she knew it stemmed from a deep and fatal gash across his abdomen, successfully breaking the seal that held the fox demon hostage in his body. She could already tell that the demon was gone as well. Whether it was dead, or simply vanish, she knew not. But its unusual chakra imprint was nowhere to be found.

She also knew the wound was self inflicted. Her fist pressed up to her lips as the tears started up once again. She understood what he had done without being here. He had stopped his transformation from killing Sasuke, choosing to end his life instead of allowing the monster he held within destroy them. Although, from the looks of the area, they had battled in their respective power-upped states before the finale.

Reaching out with a shaky hand, her fingers lightly brushed first the pale cheek, and then the whiskered one. Sasuke, his dark eyes closed, had fisted his hand around his katana, its blade drenched in Naruto's blood. A blast hole from Naruto's Rasengan bored straight through his body. She was pretty sure that had been the cause of his demise. She had to wonder how, though, these two had ended up dying in each other's arms.

"Naruto went first," Kakashi said quietly. "Sasuke managed to crawl over to him. I think, in the end, they made peace with each other. And perhaps, learned how much they meant to one another." His voice dripped in sorrow, his hand trembling just slightly as he ruffled Naruto's hair, as he had so many times before. Blood had turned the blonde strands a brilliant orange. It could have been comical, knowing Naruto's hair was finally his favorite color. Instead it stood as a stark reminder of their loss. Sakura choked. Kakashi's hand moved to Sasuke's hair. "In a way, I'm proud of them. I…" His voice broke and Sakura's heart broke a little more with it. "I loved you all, you know. You were more than my students. You were my family." She glanced at him, seeing the silent tracks of tears pouring from his eyes.

She placed her hands over his, bring them to the intertwined ones of their dead team mates. Bowing her head, she leaned against him. "We still are." Lost in the shared grief of their fallen comrades, they sat there together until the rest of the teams caught up. And then, the cries of first disbelief, anger, and then anguish began again. As the reality of their loss fell upon each one, they were suddenly stuck with the fact that even in death, the two friends were smiling. Whatever had happened between them in life was now resolved, and finally in death, they were as they should have always been- together.


	2. Understandings

Disclaimer: Naruto and Co- not mine. The lyrics to Cry are also not mine.

A/N: Goodness... how long has it been? Over a year. I've had this part sitting on my hard drive, mocking me. So thought I would polish it and send it on its merry way. Still have the final part, which hopefully will be finished up here soon. Enjoy. No flames please.

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**-2- Understandings**

_In places no one will find_

_All your feelings so deep inside (deep inside)_

_It was then that I realized_

_That forever was in your eyes_

_The moment I saw you cry_

**_-Cry- Mandy Moore_  
**

Strained silence coated the clearing where the teams sat around a glowing fire. Kakashi, after speaking with the other two team leaders, decided it would be best to rest right where they were for the night. At dawn, they would begin the depressing journey home. Not that anyone felt it would be home without the two young men. The lengthy disappearance of Sasuke had been bad enough; even though many had become accustom to it by now. But for the friends sitting there, unable to even look at one another, the village without the sunny Naruto was too much to bear.

No matter how his life had begun, nor the amount of aversion many in the village had held throughout most of his childhood, Naruto had come to be respected and even revered as a hero of the village. His actions time and again proved that he was not the Nine-tails, but rather a man willing and able to put his life on the line for those he held dear.

It was not only their home village that had grown to love the jinchuuriki. The Land of Sand would be hit just as hard. Sakura cringed though her tears at the thought of how Gaara would react once he heard the news. Those two shared a bond no one else could understand. They were as close as brothers, if not closer.

This day, with its tragic events would ripple throughout their known world. Naruto possessed the knack of making friends no matter where he went, and elicited the respect and admiration of so many. Now, each life he had touched, every person he had ever held dear would be left without something special.

Sasuke, despite his defection and years of tumultuous life choices, was still the last remaining Uchiha. With his death, the future and secrets of a great and ancient clan died out with him. That empty complex would forever be left without the smiles and laughter of the generations that could have been brought into the world. More than that, a fearsome warrior and wounded man, with all his complexities was gone from their lives.

The very idea was so unfathomable that the group couldn't begin to comprehend the ramification that would result. They sat in dead silence, only broken by the occasional sniffle and gasping sobs. The women in the group seemed to collectively throw away the shin-obi code. Emotions, usually tucked away and hidden behind their masks, were written starkly across their pale faces.

The men were not much better, although far less vocal about their stunned grief. Even the forever stoic Sai's face held the tracks of silent tears. Naruto had been the first person he had considered a friend, excluding his fellow Root member. And although he had never really like Sasuke, the bond Naruto had with the missing nin was legendary and so great that Sai had deserted his original assignment of assassinating Sasuke in favor of helping the bright golden ninja regain his friend's hand and lead him home. In spite of the failure of both assignments, the purpose still stuck with the emotionally stunted young man. It had opened his eyes to the world outside of his box, where Naruto stood as the sun in his bleak sky. How would he go on without that guidance?

"How did it happen?" Sakura finally asked, knowing the question was on the rest of her silent friends' minds. Only, she had the right to ask it. Kakashi gave her a sidelong look, his uncovered eye blacker than black. The emotions there were almost imperceptible, and yet, anyone could see the horrific guilt and pain the older man was experiencing.

"I don't think…"

"No!" she shouted, stumbling to her feet. "We need to know. _I _need to know. He wouldn't let me come because he knew this was going to be to outcome, but…" her voice broke, and she pressed a hand to her mouth. "_Please_, Kakashi."

The copy nin sat quietly a moment, his head tipped down, his hands clinched into white knuckled fists. Casting a look over to the two boys laying together, his hand ran through his hair and he took a deep heartbreaking sigh. Slowly, he lifted his gaze and stared into the green eyes of his ex-student.

"Alright," he breathed.

She nodded in encouragement; a stillness surrounded the group as they awaited Kakashi's tale. Hands were grasped in silent comfort, and the night closed around them. Even the sounds of the forest had dimmed to small crickets and the lapping of the river's waves on the distant shore.

"We got a heads up about Sasuke and his group's location about nine weeks ago," he began, once again sharing a look with Sakura. He knew Naruto had confided in his friend before they had begun their journey. "It turned out he was headed to the Leaf, but had been derailed in the Sound. An old faction associated with Danzo and Kabuto intercepted them, and while I'm not clear on all the details, apparently they engaged in battle. From there, the trail went cold for a while, and from what I can gather, Sasuke and his band holed up in a cave to heal. Their wounds must have been extensive, because it was a full month later that we found their trail once again. It became a cat and mouse game after that. Sasuke led us on a merry case, and I can only assume that he knew whom it was that was pursuing him. Four days ago, they stopped. Just came to a dead stand still. We ran into them in a clearing not far from here, and we knew they had been waiting for us."

He shook his head with a sigh.

"It was odd, to say the least. None of Sasuke's followers engaged us. It was clear they were under orders to simply stand by. Naruto asked that Sai and I remain back, as well, which we did." He paused, seemingly deep in memories.

* * *

_Those deep blue eyes held a look of determination, and Kakashi knew there was nothing more they could say. "It's our fight. I don't want to see either of you hurt," Naruto said with steel in his voice. He glanced once over his shoulder, than disappeared into the surrounding trees. Kakashi and Sai followed at a slower pace, stopping several hundred yards away from the two friends. _

_They seemed to be engaged in a conversation, their quiet voices and bent heads a strange sight. Kakashi had assumed the battle would begin immediately; so it was rather puzzling to see the peaceful atmosphere that now formed around them. He could just make out their words, using his Sharringan. _

"_What are they saying?" Sai asked, the slightest twinge of genuine curiosity in his tone._

"_It's odd," Kakashi responded. "They appear to be having a simple conversation. I can't see even the smallest hint of animosity between them."_

"_Do you think perhaps this will turn out differently than we supposed?" Sai inquired. _

_Kakashi shook his head. "Naruto is, and will always be a wild card. I can't begin to presume where this will end."_

"_He's sick, you know," Sai said quietly._

Stunned silence followed, and Sakura's pretty face took on an expression of confused horror. "Sick?" she asked, drawing everyone's attention back to the present. She cast a glance over to the bodies of her dearest people. Now that the word was out there, she could see the changes in the normally healthy looking man. His eyes were ringed with black, and even in his still and bloodied condition, she could see he had lost a tremendous amount of weight.

How could she have missed it?

"He didn't want you to worry, Sakura," Sai now spoke, his hand resting lightly on top of her own. The trembling of his digits as they grasped hers belied the calmness in his voice. "He's been very sick for a while now. I guess the doctors gave him around six months. He got the news just before we headed out."

She gulped past the lump in her throat. "He was dying then? But the nine-tails…"

"Was killing him," Yamato put in. Shocked gasps came from the gathered friends. "Each time it used its power to heal him, it took some of his life force away. You know why Tsunade forbid him from using his _Rasen Shuriken._ However, there were times when it became unavoidable. More so as of late. Between his constant need to heal and his chakra being destroyed, it was a wonder he hadn't ended up in the hospital before coming here. I honestly think he had a pact with the old fox."

"But…" Sakura attempted to put into words her confusion. "Sasuke?"

"He was going blind from the Sharringan. It would have eventually claimed his life too," Kakashi said gently. "It was a blessing in some ways that they went like this." There were solemn nods of agreement.

"So it took four days for them to finish each other off?" Neji asked, his pale eyes flickering to his dead friends and then to his living comrades.

Sai shook his head, taking over Kakashi's tale. "No. They simply disappeared for two days."

"Disappeared?" Sakura asked.

Sai nodded. "Yes, it was quite curious. After their conversation, they both left…together." He allowed the implied sentiments to soak into the group.

A faint blush crept across Sakura's cheeks. "So they were…?" She allowed the sentence to drop.

With a shrug of the shoulders, Sai frowned. "I'm unclear on that point. Whatever business they had to take care of beyond their battle, they wanted to do it alone, together. Even their chakra was suppressed to the point that we knew the vicinity of their location, but had no way of pinpointing them."

"They wanted privacy, and made sure they got it," Kakashi spoke up. "I could tell something very important had been settled when they returned on the third day. There was a quiet resolve in both their eyes, not the usual tenseness. Even Sasuke looked comfortable in whatever decision they had made. He sent his group off, telling them they had his thanks and were no long bound to him."

"He thanked them?" Lee questioned with a rise of one of his bushy brows. It was hard to imagine that such a hard-ass like the Uchiha could make such a gesture.

Kakashi nodded. "He did. He also apologized to myself and sent his apologies to you, Sakura." He watched as her eyes widened in understanding, then fluttered with tears.

"So he knew what was going to happen too, didn't he?" she replied, her heart feeling as heavy as lead inside her chest. Sai squeezed her hand, and she returned it.

"It's my belief, yes. They knew, and wanted it this way. I can't really see either one of them continuing on without the other. Their bond was deeper than anything I have ever witnessed."

There were nods and murmurs of approval from their friends. For the longest time, most in the Rookie 9 thought the obsession was one sided. Naruto did everything in his power to become strong enough to bring Sasuke back. No one had really considered the possibility that Sasuke wanted Naruto to be the one to chase him, that the Uchiha lived for his friend's desire to see him and his need to bring him home.

Sasuke could never return to the village that had damned his entire family to death, Itachi included. He would never be at peace in the place that tortured his best friend for much of his childhood. No, Kohana was not in the cards for him.

Naruto, Sakura thought, knew and accepted this in the end. However, he couldn't let his first and deepest bond die, even in light of this. And with his condition, he had to have concluded that his dreams of becoming Hokage were no longer viable. Perhaps Sasuke knew this as well. Hence his taunt when they had met back at Orochimaru's that day. And his continued relentless provoking of Naruto's supposed lack in strength. In actuality, they were more than evenly matched.

"He kept him alive," she whispered.

"What?" Sai asked.

Green eyes looked lovingly down on the two still figures, seeing the beauty beneath the death and blood. "Sasuke. I think, when he went inside Naruto's mind, you know, when we saw him in Sound? I think he knew what was happening to Naruto, or knew what would happen eventually."

Kakashi frowned. "Maybe. But what does that have to do with keeping him alive?"

"He gave Naruto a purpose past the impending death he was facing." She knelt next to the bodies and brushed the hair from first Sasuke's head, then Naruto's stiffing locks. "It's always been the two of them. There has never been anyone who could move into the world they had created. Sure, we were friends with them, Naruto more recently. But…" she wiped her tears with a watery smile. "There was always a part of them that belonged solely to the other. And because of that, they couldn't allow someone else the privilege of ending it." She leaned over and placed soft kisses to their foreheads. "I get it now," she whispered, looking at the beautiful peaceful faces before her.

"So after they came back, what happened?" Neji asked, somewhat anxiously. Sai frowned, not understanding the man's need for details.

"It's closure," Yamato told him quietly. "They need to know to let go." Sai gave a brief nod and turned back to Kakashi.

The copy-nin sighed. "It was like they were dancing at first. Or sparring. They'd give a blow here or there, then drop away. There was never a harsh word between them, though. No taunts, no name calling. Just the fiercest of determination. It was kinda weird."

"They continued without let up for a solid 18 hours. Jab, dodge, hit. They were both bleeding heavily by this point. I could tell they were tiring out, but neither were willing to give an inch. And then…"

_It was like a switch had been thrown. The air around the two combatants thickened, and the wind began to pick up. The suffocating feel of the nine-tails chakra licked the air, heating the atmosphere. _

_Mixed in amidst the choking hot winds was the lightning stroked flashes of Sasuke's Chidori. The charged strikes and skin melting cloak blended together into one deadly shield, blocking off the way of anyone or thing that might have dared to stupidly interfere. _

_Of course, none did. But it took all of Kakashi and Sai's fortitude and strength to keep themselves within viewing distance. Atop the tallest trees, they stood helplessly as the screams and blood began to fly. It was what the battle in the Valley of the End must have looked like, only on a grander scale. For now, the two young men below were nothing more than animals, running on sheer adrenaline and instinct. It was brutal, and yet, beautiful. _

_Nartuo by this time had a full seven tails out. It was the first time either one of his comrades had seen him lose it to this extent. Kakashi was…well… dead, the last time during the battle with Pein. Sai, in the village, had remained far enough away from that site to know how far Naruto had gone. It was only afterwards that Yamato revealed his almost complete loss of control to the Nine-Tails. _

_The roar of the wind was rivaled only by the heartbreaking roar of Naruto, tortured in his demon induced state. They could see that he was still battling with the beast for control, knowing that if he did allow it to take over, it would kill Sasuke and everyone else in its way. _

_Sasuke struck again and again with his Chidori, successful making it through to Naruto's body, inflicting untold damage. In his demon form, one could not see just what was happening to his human body, but Kakashi knew from experience that it had to be bad._

_The eight tale came out, and again the tide shifted._

"Naruto came to a full stop, and I could hear a more human tone come into his screams. His tales had formed a blade and he had aimed it straight for Sasuke's heart. Would have hit him dead on if he hadn't stopped. Sasuke saw it too late and his Chidori infused blade struck home. Naruto somehow managed to slam one of his _Rasen Shuriken _into Sasuke's body, and with the power of the Nine-tails behind it…" Kakashi's words died off. All heads turned to the boys' bodies, understanding the damage for themselves.

"And the cut on Naruto's stomach?" Lee inquired quietly.

"Naruto had gained enough consciousness to regain some control over his body. Because of this, he refused to allow Kyuubi the chance to kill Sasuke. And while the beast's cloak was still enfolding him, he called out to Sasuke, bringing him back to his own consciousness. I think it was then that he realized what he had done, and what Naruto meant to do, because he stopped and screamed for Naruto to wait." Kakashi paled, remembering the horrific events with such clarity.

Sai, knowing his leader couldn't continue, picked up the tale again, his usually emotion-less voice darkened into a husky rasp of misery.

"It was like everything slowed down. Naruto had a kunai in his hand, the skin cracked and red from the cloak. And Sasuke just walked right up to him, like the chakra wasn't even there."

_The blood was flowing in gushes from his many wounds and the hole in his chest was gaping. A gruesome sight. But he didn't even seem to notice. All that mattered now was Naruto. Naruto whose battle had been far harder than his own. Naruto sank to his knees, his legs unable to hold him up anymore. The blade gleamed in his hand. He looked up at Sasuke and received a nod in return. Sasuke bent down so that they were face to face, his hands wrapped around Naruto's fist. Together, they dragged the blade quickly across the seal, before plunging it in as deep as it could go. Naruto screamed and immediately the fearsome red chakra shot out of his body, disappearing into the air. _

_The blast knocked Sasuke back several feet from his friend. He laid there dazed for a few seconds, trying to gather the strength to move back over to Naruto's side. _

_Naruto wasn't so lucky. With that final blast, his body gave itself over to his massive injuries and he completely collapsed into the sodden ground. The dirt and grass was stained crimson with the combinations of his and Sasuke's blood. His eyes turned to his friend, his comrade, his most precious person. Sasuke summoned every last bit of his strength and dragged his mangled body over. Up on his elbows, he looked down on his smiling friend's face. _

"_We…" he gasped out with wet breaths, blood dripping out of his mouth. "We've been here before you know."_

_Naruto dragged his heavy eyes open, the usually brilliant blue now dark and dim. "Y…ye?"_

"_Yeah," Sasuke whispered. "When I left you at the Valley of the End. You were unconscious by then. It was strange." He was struggling with each breath now. "There was this shaft… of light that shine down on you. Just… this single patch. Like you were an angel… or something."_

_Naruto coughed, his breath wheezing out of his lungs. He blinked his eyes slowly, the motion taking an immense amount of effort. "Calling…a demon… an angel…" _

"_You were." Sasuke leaned down, just like that day. Pressing his blood stained lips to Naruto's forehead. "Mine."_

_A strangled sound came from the blond and his hand twitched as he tried to lift it. Sasuke took it in his own, intertwining their fingers. "Sa..suke…" Naruto gurgled out. "Stay."_

_Those deep eyes looked into the person he loved the most. "Always, dobe."_

_Naruto smiled. A whisper came from his lips and his eyes slipped closed. Sasuke stayed still for a moment longer before angling his body around and laying his head on his friend's chest, where his blade had pierced through. _

"By the time we got here, they were both gone," Sai concluded among the quietly made sobs.

Sakura, who had sat beside her teammates during his tale, leaned over, laying her pink head atop Sasuke's chest. She closed her eyes, trying to contain her tears, wishing there was some warmth, some life in the bodies below her. In a way, she was angry at them both. Why did they have to go and leave her all alone? Weren't they a team?

Gentle arms wrapped around her waist and a head leaned upon her shoulder. She looked up into the brown eyes of TenTen, clouded over with her own grief. "It's not fair, huh?"

Sakura shook her head. "We were a team."

"You still are, Sakura. They will wait for you, you know," the girl replied, trying to comfort her friend. A pale hand clutched at hers, holding on for dear life.

"I hope so."


End file.
